Burning Bush Blogs
Equipping Men with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Category: Group Study
Thread: Slavery and the Bible
Post Topic: The Bible’s Powerful Slavery Metaphor
Post in Thread: #4
Previous Post: The Old Testament’s Slavery Laws for Foreigners
Scripture: Romans 6:15-23
Key Verses:
Romans 6:16-18
16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Observations
Context
The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans as a letter to the church at Rome. It was a church he had never met. But he knew his audience would be primarily Gentile. It was an audience that would understand the many forms of slavery and the metaphor that Paul was offering.
Preceding chapters dealt with the primary Gospel message. Chapter 5 was about justification (forgiveness) through Jesus Christ. In Chapter 6, Paul moves on to the next logical step—sanctification. This involves our changed lives as believers, as we strive to be more holy and more righteous.
Genre
Romans is an epistle, or a letter, but stylistically it is interesting. It was written in a form called a diatribe, a common approach of ancient teachers and orators and preachers. Today we think of a diatribe as a bitter rant. But in ancient times, it was more informal rhetoric that included techniques like debates with fictional opponents and vigorous moral exhortations using a colloquial style.
Opening Question (v15)
In the vein of the ancient diatribe, Paul starts by asking a question about grace and sin. To paraphrase – because we are under by grace, and our sins will be forgiven, can’t we just go ahead and sin, then?
The Metaphor (v16-18)
He answers the imaginary debate opponent’s question with a metaphor – someone selling themselves into slavery.
- We are slaves of the one we obey.
- It can be slavery to sin, which leads to death.
- Or it can be slavery to obedience, which leads to righteousness.
- As believers, we once were slaves to sin, but we have been set free.
- Now we are slaves to righteousness.
Offering ourselves to sin or to God (v19-23)
- We used to offer ourselves to impurity. Not just give into it. But offer ourselves to it.
- This would lead to ever-increasing wickedness.
- When instead we offer ourselves to righteousness, it leads to holiness.
- The only benefits of those sins were shame and death.
- But we’ve been set free from the slavery of sin, and are now slaves to God.
- The wages of sin are death.
- The gift of God is eternal life.
Discussion
In verse 19, Paul calls slavery an “example from everyday life.” It was everyday life to the Romans, but not to us.
Read this passage again in light of our previous studies of slavery in Bible times. What aspects of this metaphor do you understand better, knowing what you now know about ancient slavery?
Interpretation
Takeaways
- Knowing that we are saved by grace, and all our sins forgiven, it’s tempting to allow ourselves to fall into sin knowing that Jesus’s blood covers it. One indiscretion seems harmless.
- Paul warns that we are embarking on a path to becoming obedient to sin. Because we are slaves to the one we obey, this makes us slaves to sin.
- He goes on to warn that one sin can lead to a pattern of sinfulness.
- But we have been set free from our commitment to sin. Would a slave who has been freed from an evil master return to obey that evil master?
- Paul asks us to think about things that we’ve done that we are now ashamed of. Was there any benefit to those things?
- Contrast that to the things of God – they lead to eternal life.
- Paul concludes with a famous verse – Romans 6:23
- The wages of sin is death.
- The gift of God is eternal life.
Discussion
- In Christian circles, or even in sermons, we hear the phrase falling into sin. But Paul describes it as offering ourselves as slaves to impurity. Which description is more accurate? What does the first phrase attempt to absolve us of?
- On the bright side, now we are slaves to righteousness, striving to become more holy. Have you ever thought of yourself as a slave to righteousness? How can we make that concept appealing? Exciting, even?
Imagine – Food for thought fiction
The guards hoisted up the ropes and slid the cover back into place, blocking most of the sunlight. Onesimus took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the gloom of the dungeon. Paul waved from his usual corner. That same pleasant smile of greeting always welcomed Paul’s visitors. Although completely genuine, Onesimus knew the smile masked physical maladies Paul wanted to hide. Burdens Paul preferred to bear alone.
Normally, Onesimus wanted to ease Paul’s burdens for as long as the guards would allow. Today, however, was different. Today, Onesimus needed Paul’s wisdom. The secret Onesimus carried with him had become too heavy to bear alone.
Paul’s smile faded as Onesimus approached. “What troubles you, my brother?”
Onesimus sat on the stone bench next to his friend. “Am I that easy to read? I bring greetings from Marcus and the others. They pray daily for your release.”
“And yet you are the only one to take time to visit me. I do treasure your visits, my friend.”
“They are scared. They have families to protect. The Jews in the synagogues blame us for the emperor’s actions, and… well you already know this.”
Paul stifled a cough. The stale air couldn’t be good for his breathing. “But something else is bothering you.”
“We read another portion of your letter today.” Onesimus hesitated. “We all treasure that letter. They’ve made many copies. I don’t have my own copy yet, but I love hearing your words…”
“Not today?”
“There’s something I haven’t told you.” Onesimus shifted his body. The stone was cut wrong. The bench slanted sideways. “Marcus read about how we are slaves. Either slaves to sin, or slaves to righteousness. About how our faith can set us free.”
“But you don’t feel free.”
Onesimus studied his toes. “I-I’m not free. In more ways than one.”
“Is this about Philemon?”
Startled, Onesimus almost fell off the bench. “You knew?”
“I remember you from Colossae. I’ve been praying for you to share the truth. What happened?”
Trembling, Onesimus kept his voice low. “I ran off. And I stole silver to fund my getaway. Since I found you here, my life has changed. You know this. But the guilt…I don’t feel righteous. I don’t feel free in any way.”
Paul’s arm wrapped around Onesimus’s shoulder. “You know what Jesus said?”
Onesimus’s head drooped. “What?”
“He said: The truth shall set you free. You’ve taken the first step.”
Correlation
John 8:31-36 – Jesus is talking with the Pharisees. His statement to them has become a famous line today: “The truth shall set you free.”
- They reply that they’re descendants of Abraham, and have never been slaves to anyone. Why do they need to be set free?
- Jesus’s response – “…you who sin are slaves to sin.” (we see here the inspiration for Paul’s analogy)
- Jesus adds that unlike a son, a slave doesn’t have a permanent place in a family.
- Isn’t this encouraging? We sin, and are slaves to sin, but we do not have a permanent place in the household of sin.
- Why not? Verse 36: If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Discussion
- Some regard Christianity as a list of restrictive rules to be followed. What is this freedom that Jesus is talking about? Are we really free if we become slaves to righteousness?
- In the rest of John 8, Jesus ratchets up the rhetoric, and the Pharisees end up trying to stone him to death.
- What does he call them that makes them so angry?
- What does he say about himself that’s the final straw (verse 58)?
Application
Generic Applications
Which path do we choose?
Sin
- We offer ourselves to sin
- We fall into a pattern of ever-increasing wickedness
- We become slaves to sin
- The wages of sin is death
Righteousness
- We offer ourselves to God and righteousness
- A pattern of righteousness leads to holiness
- We become slaves of righteousness
- The gift of God is eternal life
Group Discussion
Paul says we are in Christ, and therefore free from the bondage of sin. But we are human. We all fail and feel guilt. Satan wants to use that guilt to drag us back into a pattern of sin.
- When that guilt weighs us down, are there phrases in this passage we can read out loud to change our mindset?
- Share other steps we can take to get back on the path to holiness.
Personalize it
Think quietly to yourself. Is there a sin that you still feel enslaved to?
Paul means for this passage to be encouraging. To let us know that we can be set free by the power of Jesus Christ. He doesn’t say it will be easy. He even says about himself: What I want to do, I do not. Paul is right there with us. We must continue to pray about our sin and strive to do better. Don’t give up.
Group Discussion
We’ve arrived at to the end of our study on slavery in the Bible. Philemon, the Old Testament laws, the analogy of the human condition of slavery to sin — what are your biggest takeaways?
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.